The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-10-05
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject:-"The Prime Minister"

See, Ihare set thee orer all the land Of Egypt.
-Genesi XII, Al.
You cannot keep good man down. Goo
has decreed for him a certain elevation tt
which he must attain. He will bring hin
through though it cost Him a. thou
sand worlds There are men constantly il
trouble lest they shall not be appreciated
Every man comes in the end to be valued al
just what he is worth. How often you see
men turn out all their forces to crush
one man or set Of men. How do they
succeed3 No better than did the govern
ment that tried to crush Joseph, Scripture
character upon which we speak to-day. II
would be an insult to suppose that you were
not all familiar with the life of Joseph; how
his jealous brothers threw him into the pit,
but, seeing q caravan Of Arabian merchants
moving along on their camels with spices and
gums, that loaded the air with aroma, sold
fheir brother to these merchants, who carried
him down into Egypt; how Joseph was sold
to Potiphar, a man Of influence and ofhce; how
by his integrity he raised himself to high posi-
ton in the realm, until under the false charge
e of a vile wretch he was hurled into the peni-
tentiary; how in prison he commanded re-
spect and confidence; how by the interpreta-
ton of Paraohs dream he was freed and be-
came the chief man in government, the Bis
! marck of the nation; how in time of famine
Joseph had the control Of storehouse
which he had filled during the seven
years Of plenty; how when his brothers who
had thrown him into the pit and sold him into
captivity applied for corn he sent them home
with their beasts borne down under the
heft of the corn sacks; how the sin against
their brother which had so long been hidden
came out at last, and was returned by that
brothers forgiveness and kindness, an IL
lustrious triumph Of Christian principle.
Learn from this story in the first place,
that the world is compelled to honor Christian
character. Potiphar was only man OF the
world, yet Joseph rose in his estimation until
all the affairs of that great house were COM
mitteti to his charge From this servant no
honors or condolences were withheld. When
Joseph was in prison he soon won the heart
of the keeper, and, though placed
there for being a scoundrel, he soon
convinced the jailer that he was an in
nocent man, and, released from close confne-
ment, he became general superintendent
Of prison affairs. Wherever Joseph was
placed, whether a servant IN the mouse OF
Potiphar or prisoner in the penitentary, he
became the first man everywhere aud IS an
Illustration of the truth lay down, that the
world is compelled to honor Christian char
acter.
There are those who affect to despise re-
lgious life. They speak of it as a system of
pSlebotomy by which man is bled of all his
courage and nobility They say he has be-
meaned himself. They pretend to have no
than before his conversion. But all that is
hypocrisy. 1t IS impossible for any man
not to admire and confide in Chris
tian who shows that he has really become
child of God and is what he processes to be.
You cannot despise son or daughter or
the Lord God Almighty. OF course half and
half religious character wins no approba-
tion. Redwald, the King Of the Saxons, after
Christian baptism had two altars, one for
the worship Of God and the other for the
sacrifice of devils. You may have contempt
for such men, for mere pretensions OF
religion, but when you behold the excellency
of Jesus Christ come out in the life Of one OF
his disciples, all that there is good and noble
In your soul rises up into admiration
Though that Christian be as far beneath
you in estate as the Egyptian slave Of whom
Law Of our nature Potiphar and Pharoah
will always esteem Joseph. Chrysostom
when threatened with death by Eudoxia, the
Empress, sent word to her saying: $50 tell
$ her that I fear nothing but SIM" Such no
bility Of character will always be applauded.
There was something in Agrippa and Felix
which demanded their respect for Paul, the
rebel against government. doubt not they
would willingly have yielded their office and
dignity for the thousandth part Of that
true herosm which beanied in the
eve and beat in the heart of the unconquer-
able apostle. The infidel and wording are
cempelled to honor in their hearts, though
they may not eu!ogze with their lips, a
Christian firm in persecution, cheerful in
poverty, trustful in losses, triumphant in
death. I find Christian men in all professions
and occupations, and I find them respected,
and honored, and successful John Frederick
Oberlin alleviating ignorance and distress,
John Howard passing from dungeon to laz-
arctic with healing for the body and the soul
Elizabeth Frye coming to the prohlgate or
Newgate prison to shake down their obdu-
racy as the angel came to the prison at Phil
hppi, driving open the doors and snap
ping locks and chains, as well as
the lives of thousands Of the follow
ers Of Jesus who have devoted them.
selves to the temporal and spiritual
welfare of the race, are monuments OF the
Christian religion that shall not crumble
while the world lasts. A man in the cars
said: II would like to become Christian If
7 only knew what religion is. But II this
lying and cheating and bad behavior among
men who profess to be good, is religion, l
want none Of it" But, my friends, il am
an artist in Rome and man comes to me and
asks what the art of painting is, must not
show him the daub OF some mere pretender.
7 will take him TO tho Raphaels and the
> Michael Angeles. It is most unfair and dis
honest to take the ignominious failures ir
Christian profession instead Of the glorious
successes The Bible and the church are great
picture galleries filed with masterpieces.
Furthermore, we learn from this story ol
Joseph that the result Of persecution is eleva
tion. Had it not been for his being sold into
Egyptian bondage by his malicious brother:
and his false imprisonment, Joseph would
never have become Prime Minister. Every
body accepts the promise blessed
are they that are prosecuted for right
eousness sake. for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven" but they dc
not realize the fact that this principle ap
plies to worldly as we'll as spiritual success
impeachment against Demosthenes, the i'm
mortal Grafton De Corona, would never have
been delivered. Men rise to high political
position through Misrepresentation and the
assault Of the public. Public abuse is all that
some Of our public men have had
to rely upon for their elevation. II
has brought to them what talent and
Many Of those who are making great effort
for place and power will never succeed just
because they are not Of enough Importance
to be abused. 1t is the nature Of man to
gather about those who are prosecuted and
defend them, and they are apt to forget the
faults Of those who are the subjects Of at
tack while attempting to drive back the
slanderers Helen Stirk, a Scotch martyr
condemned with her husband to death for
Christ's sake, said to her husband: Rejoice
we have lived together many joyful days, but
this day wherein we must die together ough
to be most joyful to US both. Therefore
will not bid you gooi night, for soon we shall
meet in the heavenly kingdom" By the flash
Of the furnace best Christian character Is
demonstrated.